Three Sooners Named Top 10 Finalists for Player of the Year

NORMAN — Oklahoma redshirt senior Jocelyn Alo, freshman Jordy Bahl and senior Grace Lyons were named 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 10 Finalists, USA Softball announced the list on Wednesday.

Oklahoma's three representatives are the most from one school with no other program having more than one finalist.

The reigning USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, Jocelyn Alo, has had another season for the record books in 2022. Alo broke the NCAA career home run record in early March in her home state of Hawaii, hitting career No. 96 vs. Hawaii on March 12. The Hauula, Hawaii, product now has 111 career home runs and 23 on the season to go with 55 RBIs and 11 doubles. She ranks third in the country with her .479 batting average, first in the NCAA with a 1.162 slugging percentage and .629 on-base clip, drawing 42 walks on the year. Alo has five multi-homer games on the year including one game with three blasts.

The freshman phenom, Bahl, has taken college softball by storm in her first-year campaign with the Sooners. In 123.2 innings pitched, Bahl holds a 0.96 ERA with 191 strikeouts to 27 walks. Her earned run average ranks eighth. She has allowed just 17 earned runs on the season (22 runs total) and is allowing opponents to bat just .137. Bahl has surrendered 16 extra-base hits, with only three being home runs. The Papillion, Neb., product has one individual perfect game and one solo no-hitter on the year, along with combining on one perfect game and two no-hitters. Additionally, Bahl has six double-digit strikeout performances, including a career-high 16 vs. Tennessee on Feb. 26 and a 15-K game at Texas (4/14).

The defensive anchor for the Sooners, Lyons has had a career year at the plate. The shortstop has hit 17 home runs, good for seventh in the country and a single-season career high. The Peoria, Ariz., native has two multi-home run games including one game with three blasts. She's batted in 44 runs with a .425 batting average, 1.0000 slugging percentage and .500 on-base clip. Lyons is second on the team with six stolen bases on six attempts and holds a .923 fielding percentage with 33 putouts and 39 assists. She has also assisted in turning eight double plays.

Alo won the award in 2021, joining Keilani Ricketts as the only Sooner to win the award, with Ricketts winning the prestigious trophy in consecutive seasons in 2012 and 2013.

It marks Alo's third time being a Top-10 finalist of her career and first for Bahl and Lyons. Bahl is also a top-25 finalist for the NFCA/Schutt Sports National Freshman of the Year.

The Top 10 Finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be narrowed to three finalists on May 18. The 2022 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced prior to the NCAA Women's College World Series, slated for June 2-10 at USA Softball Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City.

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